For as long as I can remember, I always dreamed of owning my own home. While a young girl, I took great pride in keeping my portion of the room that I shared with my younger sister as neat and tidy as possible.

As a young adult, just graduating from university and gainfully employed, I started to pay down my student loan. Once that was finished, I saved for and bought my first new car. I promptly paid the balance of the car loan and decided that my next purchase would be a house. Well, needless to say, there were a lot of co-workers, friends and family willing to tell me that perhaps I could not and should not do this, "after all you are not married yet". Well, for those of you that know me, their reactions only made me more determined to go forth with my quest for single home ownership.

At the time, I was working for the Head Office of an Insurance Company that offered savings plans where they would take a certain amount off of each pay; a forced saving plan if you will. After 2 years of contributing to that savings plan, I had saved a decent downpayment, even for today's standards and then set out to find a home that I liked and buy it. Well, at the time, the Hamilton market was brisk to say the least. It seemed that every home I liked had more than one offer. I was out-bidded time and time again. Although, I was frustrated, I continued and there was a bit of a levelling off of the market. I took this opportunity to put an offer in on a 2.5 storey, 3+2 bedroom home off of Locke Street South. The sellers and I were not able to come to an agreement on price on the first round of negotiations. After a couple more months of the house being on the market, the sellers accepted my original offer. I was so excited. My hands were sweating so much that I could barely keep my shaking hands on the pen while I signed the final documents. I thought to myself...I HAVE BOUGHT A HOUSE, LOOK WHAT I HAVE DONE, I HAVE BOUGHT A HOUSE ON MY OWN! The next day, when reality sank in I thought to myself, oh no,,,I bought a house, WHAT have I done, what was I thinking? Well, I calmed down, fulfilled all the conditions on the offer and waited impatiently for the completion date to arrive. I spent many a night walking by that house and standing behind a nearby hedge so that I could look at my soon-to-be-mine home. I fell more in love with that house with each passing day.

When the time finally arrived and I was given the keys to my very own home, I went by myself to take it all in. I opened the door and breathed in the enormity of what had just happened. I had bought my own home, my own home on my own. Wow, what a feeling. I was walking around, checking out all the rooms and reminding myself what everything looked like with tears running down my face. What a thrill; what an accomplishment to buy a home on my own.

Now, as a Realtor, when I get the privilege of working with a single First Time Buyer, I am taken back to that very exciting and scary time. I am so glad that I decided to make that first purchase alone. I know that it was not the best home I will ever own but it certainly was the best feeling I ever experienced while buying a home. I hope my single First Time Buyers will have these same wonderful memories of their first home purchase.

Sitting on the fence and not knowing whether to buy on your own? I say, Go for it! You'll be glad you did. I know was!

Leave a comment

1 Comment

Such an inspiring story Angela. It is a scary thing when you have to do it alone but wonderful people like yourself make the process easier. I was beyound lucky to have had you as my agent!